Other Social Media?

Travis Clemmons has stated in the TimesDaily that family and friends of Mitchell Campbell have made threats on Facebook and "other social media." We've glanced at the Facebook pages and haven't seen any threats.

We have seen name calling--that won't make the ABI take you any more seriously. We have seen suggestions that Mr. Campbell's friends fire a clip in the air in front of their homes--a great way to get someone else accidentally shot. We have seen suggestions that the shooter needs to be raped in prison--while not an actual threat, that seems to be a universal favorite of some--see the Hydrick brothers. We have seen the number of shots listed as six by the Campbell family while the preliminary autopsy says three--an exaggeration but no threat.

We do wonder to what other social media Mr. Clemmons is referring. He does know MySpace is dead, doesn't he? Rhetoric like that just makes one feel more sympathy for the Campbells. So far, neither side is winning in the public relations race.

*****

Florence attorney Hank Sherrod held his first news conference today in connection with the shooting. We're not sure where this will be going as far as a civil case, but we do think any depositions should be filmed. We'd buy a ticket to see that movie.



Shoalanda

Strengthening Ties? What Were You Thinking?

Florida Native/UNA Student Amanda Hernandez

Let's see...we want to strengthen ties between Shoals bloggers and the rest of the community; how should we go about it? Hmmm...how about a demonstration where we sing We Shall Overcome and chant anti-Shoals slogans. Yep, that should do it. Mrs. Hernandez, what were you thinking? How could anyone logically think non-citizens demonstrating against a state law would strengthen ties between Hispanic immigrants and Shoals citizens?

As for our friend Hank Sherrod, we admire you greatly (not to mention actually being able to spell your name correctly), but we would love to see you first attend to laws that adversely affect Alabama citizens before you start advocating for non-citizens. Perhaps the ACLU could work to remedy damage accomplished by former Attorney General Troy King who added as many as 11 crimes to the basic list of felonies composing moral turpitude. We hope none of our reading audience is ever arrested for jaywalking in this state--who knows whether it's now on the list or not.

Arguing for the rights of illegal immigrants while Alabama citizens are wrongly denied the vote or any other basic civil right is incomprehensible. Think about it; look at those who do so; then think about it again.

*****

Our friend O.B. left the following comment on one of our recent blogs, but we feel it deserves a second look:

It continues to amaze me that people, Americans, play the race card. Being an illegal immigrant isn't a race, it is a crime. One that our own federal government has seemed to forget. Move here, get legal and learn the language. My grandparents didn't have a problem doing that. They were proud to do it.

Related post: Hispanic Is Not a Race



Shoalanda

Hank Sherrod Does it Again!? Morris Trial Ends in Hung Jury

Jerry Wayne Morris' assault trial has ended in a hung jury. According to a source with Lauderdale County, the evidence against the Anderson resident was iffy at best. We don't advocate striking police officers under any circumstances, but neither do we condone police brutality against innocent citizens. It would seem Hank Sherrod is definitely the go-to attorney in cases involving police infringement of civil rights.

Sources further tell us the Anderson Police Department has made great strides under its new chief. Kudos to Chief Karla McGee for improving the department's image. McGee replaced former DynCorp employee Mark Bowers last May.

*****

If the English language isn't dead, it's mortally wounded and in need of a miracle to save it. A reader board on a local pharmacy recently proclaimed: Get Your Alabama & Auburn Stuff Here! The word "stuff" seems to be running a close second to "like" as the most overused/ill-used word in not only daily conversation, but more formal speech as well.

Of course, we no longer converse, but conversate. We won't mention the name of the Tweeter, but a local UNA student recently wrote: It was fun commentating with ***** at the Florence Christmas parade. We'll be sure to notate that in case we need someone to orientate a new announcer next year. At least we can take solace in the fact that decadent speech isn't just a Southern phenomenon--we've heard the Kardashians speak.

*****

A reader tells us the name of our new hospital will be Northwest Regional Medical Center. The appellation is already scrolling across screen savers on ECM monitors...and only ten years before the hospital is completed.

Other sources report that the first of the year will see several long-time Registered Nurses leave ECM's employ, as well as a paring down of some excess baggage at Shoals Hospital. We can understand the need to clean house at Shoals; it's long been reported that nepotism and good ol' boy politics played a large role in their staffing. Encouraging senior RNs with years of expertise to take early retirement in the name of cost effectiveness is a different matter.

*****

After an absence of almost three months, we see Trevor Stokes returned to the TimesDaily on December 8th. Now it they would just bring back the Sunday local history segments...



Shoalanda

Hank Sherrod - He's Got Game

Henry Floyd Sherrod III, better known as Hank, is a Florence attorney specializing in civil rights cases and he's about to take on the Decatur Police Department. Like we said, he's got game.

A 1982 graduate of Tuscumbia's Deshler High School, Sherrod graduated from Birmingham Southern in 1986 and received his juris doctorate from Vanderbilt in 1989. Since 1990, he has practiced law in Florence. Sherrod describes himself as "a small town civil rights lawyer, runner, paddler, and non-conformist."

A member of the Alabama ACLU Board of Directors, Sherrod has previously taken on some interesting cases. He once represented Tony Lee Smith in his bid to practice Odinism while incarcerated in the Alabama Prison System. More recently, he won a well-deserved victory over Lauderdale County as attorney for Kevin Danley. As a result of that win, the Florence-Lauderdale Detention Center has revised its pepper spray policy. In other words, Sherrod gets results.

Now Sherrod is representing Daniel Wade Moore in a civil suit against the Decatur Police Department. Moore, accused of murdering Karen Tipton, has just been found not guilty after his third trial. The lawsuit involves Moore's initial trial, in which the judge declared a mistrial. At that time prosecutors received immunity from any charges of misconduct, but that immunity did not extend to the police, now charged with withholding and destroying evidence in the case.

Did Moore murder Tipton and escape with only the loss of a few years of his freedom and an extremely tarnished reputation? If so, that point is unfortunately moot. Did the Decatur Police conspire against Moore? The trial is set for November 20th; perhaps we'll have the answer then.

In the interim, kudos to Hank Sherrod for his work in the civil rights arena. If he isn't careful, he might give lawyers a good name.


Note: For more info on Cherokee librarian Paige McWilliams, check out WAFF's website.